The invention relates to a device for locking the steering spindle of a steering gear of a vehicle, having a blocking pin which is arranged in a housing and can be displaced from a release position into a locking position and vice versa.
A device of this type is disclosed, for example, in DE 197 13 318 C1. In the case of this known device, the housing of the device is composed of two housing parts surrounding the casing tube of the steering spindle, the one housing part being connected nonreleasably to the casing tube and the second housing part being connected releasably to the first housing part. In order to avoid it being possible, in the locking position of the blocking pin, for an unauthorized third party to open the second housing part, for example by releasing screws etc., and then pushing the blocking pin out of its locking position, DE 197 13 318 C1 proposes the use of an additional securing pin. The latter is activated by the blocking pin in such a manner that in the locking position of the blocking pin, said securing pin connects the second housing half to the first housing half from the housing interior (cannot be seen from the outside).
Among the disadvantages of this known device is that after a forcible opening of the housing, for example using appropriate special tools, an unauthorized third party can displace the blocking pin again from its locking position into its release position.
The invention is based on the object of specifying a device of the type mentioned at the beginning in which manipulation of the blocking pin is also prevented when the housing of the device has been forcibly opened and the blocking pin is in its locking position. to the invention, this object is achieved by the features of claim 1. Further, particularly advantageous refinements of the invention are disclosed by the subclaims.
The invention is essentially based on the concept of arranging a spring-actuated securing element in as guide part of the blocking pin, said securing element being fixed in its position by a closure element which is fastened on the inside of the housing. If the housing is opened by an unauthorized third party, then the closure element is also removed together with the corresponding housing region and the securing element is at least partially displaced into a recess of the blocking pin and secures the latter in its locking position.
The securing element used may be either a pin (securing pin), which is actuated by a spring, or a leg spring, in which case the leg facing the closure element takes over the function of the securing element.
In one advantageous embodiment of the invention, the recess of the blocking pin is arranged on the edge thereof and is configured in such a manner that in the locking position of the blocking pin once the housing part is removed, the blocking pin is secured by clamping. Such an arrangement of the recess of the blocking pin has the advantage that the recess can easily be made in the blocking pin and the pin is only,slightly weakened by the recess.
The closure element is preferably arranged in the housing region from which it has to be assumed that an unauthorized third party will forcibly open the housing in this region. This will generally be the region facing the interior of the vehicle. It is also conceivable to configure the outside of the corresponding housing region in such a manner that the configuration will cause an unauthorized third party to have to attach his tools to this region in order to open the housing.
It is furthermore advantageous if it cannot be seen from the outside where exactly the securing element is located on the guide part of the blocking pin, with the result that an unauthorized person cannot remove the securing part by drilling open the guide part and then displace the blocking pin.